Lifting of Sreesanth's ban is happy news: Family

Kochi/New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) With the Supreme Court on Friday cancelling the life ban on former India cricketer S. Sreesanth and asking the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider his punishment, his family expressed real happiness over the fresh developments.

Before the verdict, the cricketer's wife Bhuvaneswari, along with their daughter, prayed at two temples near Kochi, she said.

"Finally he has got justice, we wish the BCCI also will allow him to play. We are really thankful to all who have been supporting us. He has been also very keen to return to play and has been keeping fit. Just the other day while engaged in practice, he suffered an injury on his forehead," a happy Bhuvaneswari told the media present at the family home here.

Sreesanth, who is currently in Delhi, returns home on Friday evening, she added.

His mother Savithiri Devi said that she has been seeing her son suffering ever since the case began.

"We are really thankful to God , who has given him relief. I have seen his suffering for more than five years now," she said.

Sreesanth was arrested by Delhi Police along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan on charges of spot-fixing during the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In a relief for the pace bowler, the apex court set aside the life ban imposed on him as a bench headed by Ashok Bhushan asked the BCCI to reconsider the quantum of punishment for Sreesanth.

Theapex court, however, maintained that Sreesanth is guilty of betting/match-fixing.

Delhi Police had arrested Sreesanth from his friend's house while Chandila and Chavan had been picked up from the team hotel as the three were plying their trade for Rajasthan Royals in the T20 league.